Nov 21, 2014

Can Garden Fencing Keep Animals In (Or Out) Of My Property?

If
you don’t want your beloved pet to go wandering or you want to protect your
flowerbeds from intrusive wildlife, you might be wondering whether garden fencing is the answer. Whilst this fencing is certainly attractive, is it
affective at keeping animals in or out of your property (whatever the case may
be)? In short, the answer is yes; we have compiled some tips and suggestions
that should help you to keep your garden secure.

We
wanted to begin with some important points to keep in mind when planning your
garden fencing, including:

Check
with your local council about the regulations surrounding fences, as some
styles might be banned in your area;

Fencing
works best when the animal doesn’t know what it’s protecting; a hungry animal
that knows food is available will try harder to get into your property. A solid
fence will block their view.

Electric
fencing works best if the animals know it is ‘hot’; as soon as you put it up,
smear some peanut butter on it to entice local wildlife to get shocked. They
will be less likely to touch it again.

Build
the fence to suit the animal. We have outlined some tips and advice below that
are specific to different creatures.

Cats and Dogs

If
you want to deter your pet cat and dog from leaving your property or you want
to prevent neighbourhood cats and dogs from getting in, we recommend building a
wire mesh fence that is about 3 feet high and anchored with sturdy posts. You
will find that most cats won’t climb over it and that most dogs won’t be able
to knock it over. We also recommend bending the base of the fencing outwards
(forming a 2 foot wide apron) to discourage digging underneath.

Rabbits

You
can keep rabbits out of your property through the installation of chicken wire garden fencing
that is about 2 feet high and with holes about an inch in diameter. To prevent
rabbits from digging underneath, we recommend curving the bottom of the fence to
about 90 degrees – this will create an apron of about a foot or so wide – and
burying it several inches deep.

Kangaroos

If
you live in more of a rural area, you might find that kangaroos are destroying
your gardens. Since these animals can jump, your fencing will need to be quite
high and set at an angle in order to deter them. One effective option is to
build an 8 to 10 foot high fence that is slanted at a 45 degree angle in the
direction the roos are most likely to come from. This will make them think twice
about jumping. Electric and solid fences are also effective options.

Whilst
there are other animals that you might wish to keep in or out of your property,
one of the above fencing solutions
should achieve this. Animals that tunnel, however, are very difficult to keep
out. In these cases, we recommend building a cage around your garden for
protection. We hope that you now have a better idea of the garden fencing that
you should construct on your property and hope it is effective in keeping your
pets contained or keeping pests out.